This car was bought as the budget didnt allow for the Mini Cooper S anymore, in the range of £5/£6k it was the only thing in my mind which could be cheapish to run, whilst being relatively new and quick. It wasnt a rational decision which led to the full fat model being purchased, this example just turned up for sale with low mileage (21k) at the right money so that was it!
A 172 Cup was considered, but there weren't any low mileage examples for sale at the time of looking, also the lack of ABS didnt appeal for every day road use!
Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2
When the car was bought it was fitted with Apex Springs and sitting on 17 inch Toora wheels. Although it looked quite aggressive it didnt really do much for the handling - they also caught on the arches on full lock etc. So the first step was to take put a set of smaller wheels on, at first some standard Renault Sport 16" wheels went on, but I decided these didnt give the look I was going for. Instead a set of black Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 wheels were fitted, with a set of Toyo Proxes T1-R tyres (195/45/16), the offset of these wheels meant they sat further out, filling the arch nicely giving a more aggressive look.
Eibach Pro Kit Springs
After the purchase of the wheels the car went in for the springs changing, I wasnt happy with the Apex springs giving a bouncy ride, so a set of Eibach Pro Kit springs were fitted (-30mm) giving a less aggressive drop but much nicer ride quality. A pair of GAZ adjustable rear dampers went on at the same time as the rear struts were showing signs of failure (the car felt very squirmy on the back end) After setting the rear dampers up to match the front, the car felt much more controlled over bumpy roads and generally tighter.
Bosch High Capacity Battery
After the springs and wheels were sorted, I started noticing the trip computer would reset itself randomly, this turned out to be an early sign of battery failure so this was replaced with a Bosch High Capacity unit, which has been perfect since.
Ferodo DS2500 Brake Pads & Brembo High Carbon Discs
The next area to pay attention to was the brakes, the car was suffering quite badly from brake fade, so a set of Brembo high carbon discs and Ferodo DS2500 pads were purchased from Yozzasport. The pedal felt much firmer after these were installed, also they appear to be much more resistant to fade. In a few months time the rear discs will be changed also as they are showing signs of wear.
PIAA LED Side Lights | LED Number Plate light | Osram Diadem indicators
As a finishing touch, the side light bulbs were changed for PIAA Ultra LED sidelights from PRI Racing. These are a good match for the xenons. Then the indicator bulbs front and rear were changed for Osram Diadems which were purchased from Startled Rabbit. The rear number plate light has also been changed for an LED light which matches the xenons.
KTEC Stealth Cat Back Exhaust System
With the looks and the drive sorted out, it just seemed to be lacking noise - so on went a KTEC Stealth cat back exhaust system, this gave a subtle but rorty note without requiring the cutting of the rear bumper.
With these subtle mods, the 172 has been made into a nicer every day car, with the brakes giving more confidence when pushing on.
